The baikal rift is a divergent plate boundary centered beneath lake baikal in southeast russia. To its west is the eurasian plate and to its east is the amur plate which is moving away for the rift toward japan at about 4mm per year.
As in all divergent plate boundary zone the crust in the baikal rift zone is thinning and magma is very close to the surface. Hot springs are present both on land and under lake baikal although thus far no evidence of actual volcanism has been found in the immediate vicinity of the lake. However geologically recent volcanic activity has occurred nearby and is probably associated with the baikal rift zone. These volcanic centers are the udokan plateau located about 400 km ENE of the northern tip of lake baikal and the oka plateau located about 200 km WNW of the southwest tip of lake baikal.
As in all divergent plate boundary zone the crust in the baikal rift zone is thinning and magma is very close to the surface. Hot springs are present both on land and under lake baikal although thus far no evidence of actual volcanism has been found in the immediate vicinity of the lake. However geologically recent volcanic activity has occurred nearby and is probably associated with the baikal rift zone. These volcanic centers are the udokan plateau located about 400 km ENE of the northern tip of lake baikal and the oka plateau located about 200 km WNW of the southwest tip of lake baikal.